Innamorata

            *Hello, hello!

            This is the result of me wanting to write something Christmas-y, so here you go! 

            A LITTLE NOTE:  This doesn't necessarily follow the evidence from OoTP, so if you dislike fanfictions that don't follow that set plot, I suggest you stop reading right here.

            For the rest of you, enjoy the little bit of fluff I attempted to cook up.

            Happy reading!

                                    -Kait*

Disclaimer:  I think I've well-established by now that I'm most definitely not J.K. Rowling.  And the song I used is by Dean Martin.  Listen to his music. It's good.

                                                                                    If our lips should meet, Innamorata
                                                                                    Kiss me kiss me sweet, Innamorata
                                                                                     Hold me close and say you're mine
                                                                                        With a love as warm as wine
                                                                                      I'm at heaven's door, Innamorata
                                                                                  Want you more and more, Innamorata
                                                                 You're a symphony the very beautiful sonata, my Innamorata
                                                                                 Say that you're my sweetheart, my love…

          This Christmas Eve, Lily Evans sat quietly in her armchair, in the Gryffindor Common Room trying to get some work done.  She had a major Potions essay due the next week and the boys across the room would not cease their laughing and loud voices.

          What a way to spend Christmas, she thought to herself, feeling a sudden bit of loneliness come over her.

          She missed her family terribly, but was unable to come home for the holidays.  Her mother had taken ill in the hospital and her father and been gone for quite a few years, so her sister wouldn't permit her to come back.  Petunia, her sister, didn't want to see her anymore, anyway and had lost contact.  Whereas her mother wrote to her fervently but requested Lily not come to see her this holiday, as her sickness was dreadfully contagious.

          Lily felt depressed, a feeling she had known too often these days.  Although, usually her friends were there to cheer her up, but they'd gone home for the holidays.  Even Sirius had disappeared.  He was still at Hogwarts, yes, but she hadn't seen him since dinner.  She figured he was off with James Potter, his best friend, pulling some kind of mean prank on the Sytherins.  How kind.

          For the most part, she objected to behavior like that, but tonight she didn't feel like starting an argument.  In fact, she didn't feel like doing much of anything.

          It was an odd mood for Lily, since she was generally a very vibrant and happy person.  But so far this Christmas, that was not the case.

          She sighed, looking to the portrait hole, wondering when James and Sirius would arrive back.  She wished they would show up soon to make her laugh…talk with her…something….anything…

          Dinner had come and gone, so there wasn't much to do, except maybe homework.  Lily glanced back at her essay, wondering if she'd ever finish it.

          Of course, there were other things she could think about.  Like how her friends' Christmases were going, or…James Potter…

          James Potter, she thought quietly.  He could be a bit of a prat at times, but for the most part, he seemed fairly nice.  Despite a bit of a fall-out back in fifth year, Lily seemed to have developed a little crush on him.

          The first smile she'd had all evening glimmered upon her face as she thought of the wonderful James Potter again.  He was perfect.

          "What are you grinning about, Lils?" Sirius Black called just as he made his way through the portrait hole.  "You're sister get run over by one of those muggle trukes?

          Lily laughed as he took to the chair next to hers.

          "You mean 'truck,' Sirius, and no, unfortunately," at this a grin was spreading across her face once more.

          "Close enough," he replied.

          She looked around, to see if anyone had come in with Sirius. Surely James would be right behind him; they were practically inseparable.  Like brothers, except with less fighting.

          Unless James had gotten into a scrape, then Sirius might have had to leave him.  Oh, she hoped horribly that he hadn't gotten himself into anymore trouble.  Everyone knew James didn't need more detentions to add to the list...Or house points taken away, for that matter.

          "So…where's your partner in crime?" Lily asked, attempting to make her voice sound casual.

          Sirius appeared slightly amused by this.  "James?  Well….he decided to go nick the kitchens, but I, uh, felt like coming back up here.  And just to see you, for your information."

          "How kind you are," Lily said, giggling at him, "I'm so glad to know that you care."

          "It's all in a day's work, I tell you, all in a day's work."

          When they had both been silent for a while, Lily started on her essay again.  She really did need to finish it…Especially with all the homework she had left to do…

          As her quill scratched furiously against her parchment, she heard an odd noise…coming from the fireplace…

          "Sirius, what are you doing?" Lily questioned, staring at Sirius's feeble attempts to put out the fire with muggle fire tongs.

          "Trying…to…get the…bloody…fire out," he answered, through each poke to the charcoals.

          She just laughed at him.  "Didn't you ever think that you could get it out with your wand?"

          He glanced at her, a bit puzzled.  "And the spell for that would be…?"

          Lily took out her own wand, and did it for him.  There was no point in trying to teach it to Sirius; he would just complain about how hard it was to learn anyway.

          "Nox." She muttered, aiming her wand at the fire. 

          It went out instantly.

          Lily sat back down in her chair, as Sirius got up from his kneeling position, and went in the direction of the Fat Lady.

          "Where are you going?"

          Lily most certainly didn't feel like being left alone.  Again.

          "Uh….I've got someone I have to meet," Sirius replied, walking back to where she was seated, his eyes shifting back and forth, "I'll be back in no time."

          Sirius was the most horrible liar in the world, if there ever was one.

          "Okay, then," she said dully as he reached over to hug her, knowing fully well that her probably wouldn't be coming back 'till late in the night.

          "Merry Christmas, Lily," he whispered to her, as they broke away.  He had a grin on his face that told her he was up to something. "Now don't stay up too late finishing that stupid essay."

          "I won't."  She grinned back, "Merry Christmas, Sirius."

          As he left, leaving a trail of Chocolate frogs behind him (because his pocket had a hole in it, Lily noted), and out the portrait hole, she felt herself sigh again.

          She hated being alone.

          It gave you too much time to think to yourself.

          And your thoughts become depressing after you've had too much time on your hands.

          She tried to get back to her Potions essay, before she could think about anything.  Lily glanced at the page in her book, trying to get a better grasp on what to write next.

          Love potions generally can be tricky to make, requiring a large amount of time and effort to keep them from going to waste.  They also are made up of a long list of ingredients, depending on which kind you are planning to make…

          As Lily absorbed this new information, she, once again heard another odd noise coming from the fireplace.  She set down her book and parchment on the table beside her, moving from her armchair to the fireplace to get a closer look.

          But before she even reached the fireplace, out came….Santa Claus?

          At least, it looked like him.  The person had a beard, although it was obviously a fake one.  He was wearing a red suit and red hat, too, but he looked much to thin for it.

          "HO HO HO!" was his first words as he stepped out of the fireplace, carrying a black bag.

          Lily laughed at his attempt to sound like an old man.  It was quite funny though, in all truthfulness.  Also, there was the fact that Lily knew who was under that suit now.

          "Hello Santa Claus…" Lily said, in an effort not to burst out laughing completely.  She didn't want "Santa" to get the wrong idea.

          "Hello Lily," he replied, smiling at her and trying to sound jolly, "I brought you something…to cheer you up….since you seemed a little sad lately."

          He reached into his bag and pulled out….mistletoe…

          "Santa" strolled towards her and held it high over his head.  Then he took off his beard, and leaned in to Lily, grinning.

          "It's really nice to see you smiling, love," he said simply, and then pulled her in for a sweet kiss.

          James Potter, she thought to herself smiling internally. He had to be the nicest boy she'd ever met.           

                                                                        You're a symphony the very beautiful sonata, my Innamorata
                                                                        Say that you're my sweetheart, my one and only sweetheart
                                                                                         Say that you're my sweetheart, my love